These positions, located in the Recreation and Creative Arts Therapy Department (RT & CAT) within the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, serve as Recreation Assistants for assigned patient care programs. Under the direction of the primary recreation/creative arts therapist, they are responsible for the daily planning and implementation of recreation programs, services, and activity interventions on specific units and areas.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties include, but are not limited to, the following: Creates, plans and facilitates a comprehensive and diverse activities program menu to include the five domains of recreation therapy (physical, cognitive, expressive, social, spiritual) Carries out a full range of therapeutic recreation services Provides guidance and leadership to the various activities modifying, adapting, expanding, or otherwise changing plans and procedures for scheduled recreation activities Develops specific activities and routines to maintain or improve patient's general state of physical and/or mental health based on therapeutic recreation assessment Supervises on-station and off-station general (diversional) activity programs for various types of disabilities which include mental health diagnoses, dementia, neuromuscular disorders, orthopedic conditions, amputation, paralysis, spinal cord injury, head injury, etc. Records patient participation in electronic recording system and utilizes Computerized Patient Records System (CPRS) to obtain patient goals, and to record notable occurrences during programming Orients all new service volunteers to the assigned service areas and program Plans and assists the details of special events and federal holidays Schedules and publicizes recreation activities Coordinates activities schedule with recreation/creative arts therapists to ensure compliance with standards of practice and facility requirements Requests funds for purchases Sets up recreational area in preparation of activity Manages all supplies and equipment used in assigned areas Maintains all recreational equipment in a safe working condition Performs other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30am to 5:00pm with some evenings, weekend days, and/or holidays Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. In addition to the English Language Proficiency, in order to qualify for this position, applicants must meet at least ONE of the following minimum qualifications: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities; teacher's aid in elementary school recreation or physical education program; aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service; aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities; summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, boating and fishing areas, etc.; aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance/accountability of inventory control for such property in a recreation facility; or aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. OR EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: Possess at least one-half year of graduate education (usually 9 semester hours) that is directly related to the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Transcripts required. OR COMBINATION: Possess an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Experience must be detailed, and transcripts required. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Clinical Data Collection/DocumentationCommunicationPatient CareTechnical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as extended periods of standing or walking for prolonged periods of time and over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; frequent bending, crouching, reaching, stooping, and stretching or similar activities to set up and take apart equipment and apparatus; recurring lifting of moderately heavy items such as bowling and sports equipment and repositioning patients; and pushing or pulling heavy objects. The work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average agility and dexterity to perform intricate therapeutic procedures. Must be able to push wheelchair patients on level and inclined ground and physically able to drive the transportation vehicles and complete all requirements for operating VA vehicle. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address Pittsburgh VA Medical Center 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, PA 15215 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]